LABUAN: The Labuan Port Authority (LPA), currently overseen by the Bintulu Port Authority, will soon operate directly under the Ministry of Transport (MoT), pending the official transfer of the Bintulu Port Authority to the Sarawak Government.

Transport Minister Anthony Loke said the reorganisation, mandated under the Federal Port Act, would be implemented once the transfer of the Bintulu Port Authority to Sarawak is complete, expected to occur next year.

"Once under the MoT, the Labuan Port Authority will assume federal port authority status, but several key issues need resolution before the formal handover," he told reporters after officiating the integrated programme of Gegar Labuan at the Labuan International Sports Complex here today.

He said the MoT would appoint a general manager to lead the authority.

Addressing the long-proposed Labuan Integrated Port project, he noted several development proposals from the private sector remain under review but are not yet finalised.

"Any port development project will follow a privatisation model without requiring government funding. This model allows the MoT to act strictly as a regulatory body rather than an operational entity," he added.